Did you know that having a pet around can actually be beneficial to your physical and mental health? Here are a few ways in which your furry friend is improving your life.
Companionship - The most obvious benefit to owning a pet is the consistent companionship they provide. Pets help reduce loneliness. In fact, the social support provided by therapy animals eases the symptoms of a variety of mental issues.
Reducing stress - Studies have shown that interacting with a friendly animal can lower the amount of stress-related hormones in your blood stream, thus causing you to relax. Pets have also been credited with reducing your blood pressure, and their calming effects are actually much faster than that of medications created for the same purpose.
Improving physical health - Whether due to the constant walking and playing or the lowered blood pressure, owning a pet can improve your physical health, too. Multiple studies have found that people who own pets have a lower risk of heart disease, as well as lower cholesterol levels than those who are not pet owners. Even people who have already suffered from a heart attack show a higher survival rate in the year following the attack when they own a pet.
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